Busy Day

After adding some things to my Etsy store, I had to go to P.O. to send out some orders, went to FamDollar Store to buy more drawers (the plastic kind, not the wearing kind), cleaned up around the studio area in the living room, did some wash, and emptied the dishwasher, half way filled it again...that's a busy day for me!

I need to use the start up disk on my computer--it is soooslooow!   I tried to put some pictures off on a disk but the computer didn't want to.  I hate to lose everything!  Pictures of Millie, Precious and Quincy...some family pics...I am so computer illiterate, I can do this and emails and that's about it.  But I love it and cannot imagine not using one every day!  Any tips?

The weather today was amazing...in the 60's and it's the end of January.  I remember the year my dad died, the January after that, it was snow every day that month and very cold.  So cold the snow froze on top and it was miserable to try to get around in.  Hasn't been like that since then that I can remember.  We've had a few big snows in all those years, but, nothing like that year...brrr!

I don't really mind the bad weather as I'm usually in the house snug as a bug in a rug doing something fun, I've been very blessed...okay, see you all later!

New Kiln Things

Very happy with what came out of the kiln this morning!  Here are a few new things:

The Bloom pendant wasn't easy to do.  Must find a better way!  I usually work with fairly wet clay which, of course, makes it harder to work with and so, the letters are exactly straight or even, but I like it anyway!  

These are greener in person.  I tried the living room lighting today, so the colors aren't exact.  The wing above is fairly close to right color.

I love elephants and have a small and varied collection of them.  My favorite is an elephant puppet I found hanging in a tree at a yard sale years ago.  He is hanging looking at me right now as a matter of fact!  He is hand carved from wood and had a horsehair tail at one time, and he is missing one tusk, but I love him anyway.  His legs are jointed as is his trunk, his head and his ears move!  He's wonderful...will have to upload his pic sometime soon!  

Here's a couple more things from the kiln today...I went off on a tangent didn't I?

These are Tree Of Life beads.  A tree goes completely around the bead, they are in a set of six.

And a cute little doggie and bones cuff and connectors...okay, that's enough for tonight.  These things and a few more will be added to the Etsy store sometime soon!  Thanks for dropping by!  

Kiln is On

Finally have the kiln going today. I hope to have new pics up sometime tomorrow afternoon!

Still glazing but wanted to share...

People who work in clay must always be looking for their next favorite texture, I know I do.  And I was going to take a picture and post it but will have to later, as my camera says insufficient battery!
My two favorites to texture with is a piece of deer bone I found in one of my favorite places on earth, Monterey, Virginia.  It is sort of in the shape of a heart, and no, I'm not kidding!  The other is an old rock I found in our driveway, I think its lava like...I'll show you later!

Here is a picture of the beads made with the deer bone...

Anyway, I'm always looking for something new, I've drug in bark off our trees, leaves, and so on.  What are some of your favorites?

Glazing!

I got a shelf full of glazing done today. I have at least two more days of beads to do. This is a wondrous process and I love every step of it! Combinations take longer and hopefully the next couple of days will go more quickly and I can fire this weekend!

And the wet sanding continues!

Wet sanded off and on about all day!  Still have more to do...

Wet Sanding and Scrabble

Did some wet sanding this morning and then took the afternoon off to play some Scrabble at our library.  It is the nicest building in our small town!
It used to be one of our furniture stores, but was redone from top to bottom, it is modern and beautiful.
Today was the first Scrabble day and they are going to have it monthly for as long as it lasts I guess...Fun!
I'm so much of a homebody, I rarely go to happenings in town, but I went out for Scrabble!  I met a new lady who was very good, didn't get to play her, but she took my phone number and so maybe I'll get a call to play Scrabble at her house.
Hope you all had a good Tuesday...see you tomorrow!

Making New Beads

The last week or so I've been making a few new things.  BEADS TAKE FOREVER!  Now I have all the wet sanding to do and then the glazing...It may be another two weeks before I can fire this pile of things!

I want to say thank you to all of you that sent kind words and encouragement from my post yesterday.  Thanks so much!  Never had anything hurt me so and to be on the other end of that, I am grateful.

We are to comfort others with the comfort that we have been comforted with, so if you ever need a shoulder, let me know, I'll be here for you!

My Mended Hearts

Having only shared this time in my life with very few people, I will now come forward and explain the inspiration for my Mended Hearts.  It follows a very dark and sad period in my life where I lost hope spiritually, emotionally, and physically really.  I made my body sick because of the worry and fretting I did over my Mom as she suffered with and finally died from dementia.  It was the darkest period of my life.
After her passing and after a few years of healing and as I got back into the Scriptures, I ran across the treasure of Luke 4:18 where Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
Scriptures are a very personal thing, of course, and this touched me in such a special way.  I was on my way back to trusting the Lord again and when I came across that Scripture that special day, I knew I had to come up with something that I could remember always as a way to share spiritually with others my Mended Heart.  Thus my ceramic Mended Heart...yes, it is scarred and forever changed, but it is on the mend, no longer broken, and I thank God for that!

If we live long enough, all of our hearts will have scars, but knowing the One that can mend them and the only One Who really can heal them is where this little ceramic heart came from!

Look Here!

Jewelry making is not my forte, I think I've made that clear.  I've made pieces to sell around here and have done okay, but just look at what others have done with some of my pieces.  I know there are more out there, but here are a couple that I know of!  I just heard from Melinda today!  Check out her blog and what she did with one of my Mended Hearts...

http://www.orrtec.blogspot.com/

And Jean Wells has been one of my online friends, supporter, and cheerleader for a while now.  I hope she doesn't mind my saying that!  Here is her blog and look around at what she did with one of my Mended Hearts and other pieces...

                                              http://www.jeanawells.blogspot.com



Here is a Purple Mended Heart that Jean has in her Etsy store:

And the link to it:

www.etsy.com/listing/74540026

I know there are a few more of you out there and I would love to share what you've done with some of my pieces...just let me know and I'll gladly add you to the list!  Thank you so much, makes me feel really happy when one of you lovely ladies and jewelry makers let my pieces soar!
Hope you have a great and safe weekend...stay warm and take care!

Store Things

A few new things have been listed in the Etsy store.  I really like these little daisy earring/charms.

The brown cross pendant is made from my favorite speckled clay.  There were a few more things added.

Looks like we are going to get some snow, so I'm planning on sticking close to the house and maybe cooking something hearty like bean soup and dumplings...

I know I'm going to be roasting some veggies that we got from the store yesterday. Roasted broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions and potatoes...yummy!

Hope you all have a great and safe weekend!  See you later!  

All is Well!

And all I can say about that is, Thank You Lord!

Once again I can breathe and let the good times roll!  What a difference a day makes!

Stymied

When I started this blog, I meant for it to be only about clay and not terribly personal, but today I'm changing that up.  Most of the time it is about clay, but for the last two days I've been stymied with the clay because of a doctors appointment tomorrow morning.  The appointment is not for me, it's for my husband.  He is 19 years my senior and he is soon to be 75 years old.  He's the only man I've ever been married to and the only man I want to be married to.  Tomorrow could change our life forever and I guess I'm more scared than I thought I'd be.  I know bad things can happen and this would be a good opportunity for our life to change forever.  Of course, I am hoping and praying that doesn't happen, I always worry and go to the darkest place first, then am so happy when none of that happens...so, for the last couple of days, I've been thinking about our future and what might/could be.  So until I find out tomorrow morning that everything is going to be all right, the clay is going to have to wait.  Or, I might make a few things before I go to bed tonight...

Housework Today

'Nuff said?

Saturday Company

Had a visitor Saturday that pulled me out of the clay. We watched about four hours of Mantracker. Its a fun show where two men on horseback chase two people on foot. It usually takes a couple of days and the "prey" runs and hides and usually has to sleep out under the stars. We decided we would rather chase than be chased! For sure! We both love to ride horses, which I was never good at, but I've loved horses as long as I can remember anything. It's been over twenty years since I've been on a horse, but I still love them. My last one was an Arabian colt that I raised from three months old. He was gelded at about 1 1/2 years old as he was getting dangerous to be around. I loved him so! He was small and he was a beautiful bay. His name was Ali Rafshan and I hope I never forget him. Had to sell him before we moved to town and that was one of the saddest days of my life, but life changes and we have to go with the flow...I loved him and think of him often, he was quite the challenge and so much fun. One of my dreams come true...be blessed, see you!

New Greenware

These are the few pieces I did yesterday.  Hopefully I can get this much or more done today.  This is the speckled clay that I enjoy so much and the clay is dry obviously, but they have not been wet sanded yet.

Hope you have a blessed weekend, thanks for stopping by!

Beads, Beads, and more Beads!

Working up some beads today, well mostly beads anyway.  I did make a few pendants and will make a few more.  The speckled clay made it's way out today.  I love this speckled clay!  Almost every glaze I've put on it has been so nice.  May experiment a little when these are ready to glaze.
One of my friends actually came by the house today and bought a couple necklaces!  I was so pleased!  She seemed happy and that just made my day.  Hopefully, she will advertise for me...lol!
We have had a dip in the weather, it is wintertime after all.  This winter has been very mild up until now, it was 17 degrees this morning with some snow on the ground.  The wind was almost violent last night, settled at some point thru the night, and hasn't blown at all today that I've noticed.  But I am not complaining, I would rather have it a bit too cold than too hot!
Back to the clay...Thanks for stopping by, bless you!

My Etsy Store

I loaded a few new things in my Etsy store this morning and now trying to put it away until sales happen. My organizational skills are somewhat lacking, but so far this system is working for me.
Collecting vintage buttons gave me the idea to load my pieces on cardboard paper sheets and store them in plastic bins. Not fancy, but it works. I store the bins under my work table which is close to the computer, which is in the living room of my house where I do all my activities anyway.  It's not that bad, I am managing and at this point that is all that matters to me!

Rainy Day...Not Monday

It just cannot be Wednesday already! Wednesday evening even! Life is getting in the way of my clay again and that is irritating me...plus the fact it has rained all day. Most times I love the rain but not today...had lots to do and several trips to make outside, but I am done now, so maybe I can play in clay tomorrow...Tomorrow...I'd love to play in clay tomorrow! Good night all, sleep sweet!

Days are Flying By!

The winter days seem to be flying by...it has been so mild here this year.

I added a few new things to my Etsy store this morning, here are a few of my favorites!

I just can't seem to get over the Turquoise glaze combo with this speckled clay. I just love it!

But another favorite is the dark clay and this blue just jumps!

Okay, I think these are just cute!

Dark clay with green glaze...yummy!

Enough already!

Will have Fiber Arts to go to today and then hopefully, more clay tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by, God bless you and yours!

Change of Plans

Do you have have a husband or children or someone that just throws a wrench in your plans..I sure do! No kids, but a husband that just doesn't see it my way when it comes to my clay play! I am just kidding, but just as i was getting ready for my clay play yesterday, hubs decided we must go to the big city to shop for groceries. There is little I like less than shopping, unless it's just housework in general. So after our big excursion, I have loads of veggies that I must do something with today, so no clay play for me until Monday at least. I hope you all have a great weekend. Don't forget the sale going on in my Etsy shop. 20% off using coupon code LASTDAY2011. See you Monday! Take care.

Making Jewelry?

It takes a lot of imagination to make jewelry I think.  I do not consider myself a jewelry maker, tho, I've sold a few sets locally.  My imagination is too stifled for whatever reason.  I love the new and "wild" things my contemporaries  are doing these days, but I just cannot do it.  What few pieces I've tried have just ended up hot messes and not a good kind!  Is a hot mess a good thing, or not...anyway...I love to make the beads and the pieces I've sold have been a joy.

But just for a change of pace, I put together these pieces today.  I love the gray beads and the shiny Hematite is a favorite of mine too.

Hopefully, tomorrow or soon, I'm going to get back in the clay.  Have to come up with a new idea or two.  I think I will spend some time outside tomorrow if the weather is fit to see if I can come up with something I want to do.

I've noticed I'm almost half way to a give away!  Tell your friends to join up!

Thanks for stopping by!  Blessings to you and yours!

BEADS2012

BEADS 2012 put out their email this morning for people to turn in up to five pictures to be considered.  I quickly mailed them my possibilities.  Now I have to wait until the end of March to find out if they want any of my things.

I have a headache today.  Very unusual for me.  I feel fine otherwise and have been busy all morning...hope it goes away soon.

I still have some new things to show you...

I think I may keep these and make some more...I just love the color combo!

Ok, thanks for coming around!   Please leave a message, let me know if you like these new things!  thanks, M

Good Intentions?

Been thinking all day of trying to make some new earrings...all day!  Still haven't made anything, but I'm thinking about it!

Also, thinking of a few new things I want to make the next time I get some clay out.  Hopefully soon.  I will wait until this weeks sale is over before I put anything new in my Etsy store, then make some new things.

I have been sewing a few new blankets for the animals at the shelter.  Also, did some patching on some pants for my husband.  I didn't do earrings so far today...but maybe now I will!

Peaceful Start

Had such a nice peaceful day yesterday.  And today I've already gotten a few things done, which is good for me as mornings and I don't always get along...lol

I am looking ahead this year to brighter and better things in my clay.  I am going to send out more freebies to some magazines this year...I've only sent stuff to Beads2009, 10, and 11 if I remember correctly.  And maybe to some particular jewelry designers.  Would you like a piece of mine to work with for free?  Just let me know!

Also, started a little Praise Corner on Facebook.  The world is so full of gloom and our Lord deserves so much more than that.  Check it out on my fb page.

Well, here's to 2012!  Prayers for you and yours this year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I pray the richest of Gods blessings on you and yours thru this new year and beyond... HAPPY NEW YEAR!